Gov’t to Prioritize 2022 Physical DAK for IT Facility Fulfillment, School Infrastructure Rehabilitation

President Jokowi has a dialogue with Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim at the State Palace in Jakarta (Photo by BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Lukas)

Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is focusing the 2022 physical special allocation fund (DAK) on education to support three policies, namely education access and service quality improvement, assistance for regional governments through education facility and infrastructure fulfilment, and education facility and infrastructure quality improvement in supporting high-quality learning.

“In 2022, physical DAK will be used by prioritizing two things. First, information and communications technology (ICT) facility provision, which is the school digitalization program to become the basic infrastructure for students and teachers in learning in the coming years. Second, infrastructure construction, especially for schools with damaged buildings,” Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim said during a working meeting with the House of Representatives Commission X overseeing education, Tuesday (31/08).

According to Nadiem, ICT facility fulfilment and school infrastructure rehabilitation are to be carried out for preschools, elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, vocational high schools, learning activity centers, and special needs schools.

Nadiem stated that there are several criteria for schools to apply for the 2022 physical DAK.

For preschools, physical DAK is given to kindergartens with grade A or B and a minimum of 24 students for kindergartens (outside affirmation regions. Meanwhile, physical DAK can be acquired by all elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools with any grade and a minimum of 60 students for schools outside affirmation regions.

Furthermore, physical DAK can be granted for all high schools with any grade that have national school identification number (NPSN). Schools are also obligated to fill in the education data (Dapodik) for two years and have a minimum of 60 students for schools outside affirmation regions. Physical DAK is given to schools with classrooms that have at least moderate damages, while new classroom constructions are focused on certain regions.

Physical DAK is also granted for all community learning centers (PKBM) with grade A and all learning activity centers (SKB) with any grade and a minimum of 40 students for all PKBM and SKB outside affirmation regions.

Nadiem further explained the technical criteria for applying for physical DAK for facilities and infrastructure.

Nadiem pointed out that to obtain ICT assistance, schools must have fewer than 15 units of computer and access to electricity and internet, adding that schools must not have had ICT assistance from Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology or physical DAK in 2020 and 2021.

“We want to focus on schools which have not had ICT procurement initiative in the previous year to avoid overlapping,” he said.

Physical DAK for students’ practice equipment is also focused on vocational high schools with prioritized skill competencies. Assistance for facilities is given to schools that still have no education equipment, whereas assistance for rehabilitation is given to schools that upload results of assessment by their respective regional government in accordance with the worksheet from Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing.

“This is a cross-checking mechanism to ensure that the assistance is given to the right parties,” Nadiem said, adding that the 2022 physical DAK for infrastructure will be granted to schools with index of infrastructure completeness below 1 (not complete) as per the national education standard, and to vocational high schools with prioritized skill competencies to build students’ practice rooms.

Nadiem stated that the 2022 physical DAK planning is currently in the stage of synchronization and harmonization with regions.

“We are in the stage of discussion with each region. They have proposals and we also have priorities, so we are in the process of compromising to reach the two objectives,” he said.

To date, the amount proposed by regional governments for the 2022 physical DAK is Rp90.2 trillion for 50,777 target education units. Meanwhile, the amount that has been approved and met the criteria is Rp19.38 trillion for 69,128 education units. Furthermore, proposals that amount to Rp47.12 trillion are still being discussed as they have met the criteria, but regional governments’ confirmation is needed.

Nadiem stated that education facility provision, especially in ICT, is required to use e-catalogues, but if the condition prevents it, other relevant and accountable methods in accordance with the law may also be used.

In addition, rehabilitation and construction of education infrastructure must involve offices with the relevant authority from the process of proposing to the execution, he said. (PR of Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology/UN) (DH/MUR)

The official website of Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology can be accessed through this link.